In reading the draft finding at
http://www.textuality.com/tag/DeepLinking.html , I have two suggestions:
1. I think there is a concept a stake that is not sufficiently brought to
the forefront. In particular, the difference between IDENTIFYING something
and ACCESSING that thing.
2. I would suggest a library/book analogy for deep linking.
I would suggest adding (or merging) the following description to your draft
finding:
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A URL is simply a NAME for a particular document on the Web. It is NOT the
same as the document itself. Consequently, there are two very different
acts that need to be clearly distinguished: (1) The act of IDENTIFYING,
REFERRING TO, or TALKING ABOUT a document; versus (2) the act of ACCESSING,
OBTAINING or COPYING that document.
A "home page" URL is analogous to the physical address of a library. A
"deeply linked" URL is analogous to the physical address of a particular
book within that library. Both are used to unambiguously identify
something and indicate where it can be found.
For example, I can unambiguously identify a particular library by writing:
"Somerville Public Library, 75 Highland Ave,
Somerville MA, USA"
This library address is analogous to a "home page" URL. It allows me to
unambiguously identify that library when I am talking to you, so that we
are certain we are discussing the same library. It also tells you where to
find that library. However, IDENTIFYING the library is NOT the same as
ACCESSING it. Your possession of the library address does NOT necessarily
give you the right to ACCESS it. (Indeed, you might be required to hold a
valid library card for that particular library in order to access it.)
I can also unambiguously identify a particular book WITHIN that library by
writing:
"The Selfish Gene, by Richard Dawkins, Call number
591.35/DA, Somerville Public Library, 75 Highland Ave,
Somerville MA, USA"
This is analogous to a "deeply linked" URL. Again, it allows us to
unambiguously discuss that particular book, and it tells you where you can
find that particular book. However, your possession of the book address
does NOT necessarily give you the right to ACCESS, OBTAIN or COPY that book.
ANYONE should be able to use a URL to IDENTIFY, REFER TO, or TALK ABOUT any
document on the Web, even if that document is deeply nested within a
particular web site. However, this does NOT mean that everyone should have
the right to ACCESS, OBTAIN or COPY that document.
--
David Booth
W3C Fellow / Hewlett-Packard
Telephone: +1.617.253.1273